Base-ball-game board.



PATBNTBD MAR" ze, 1907.

W. T. DE WALT. BASE BALL' GAME BOARD. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3. 1906.`

ru: NaRRls PETERS cu., WASHINGTON, D4 c UNITED STATES PATENT @FETCH BASE-BALL-GANIE BOARD.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented March 26, 1907.

Application iiled August 3, 1906. Serial No. 329,051.

To all whom it 71u14/ concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM T. DE VALT, a citizen of the United States, and residing in the borough of Homestead, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered new and useful Improvements in Base-Ball-Game Boards, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in novel and attractive amusement means with which a game similar to outdoor base-ball is played.

VAs an apparatus on which my game may be played I prefer to use a partially-inclosed box or case containing a rotatable disk or member upon which when spinning a ball or globe may be tossed or spun. The disk is preferably provided between its center and periphery with an annular depression or trough in the bottom of which, preferably flattened, are provided one or more rows of cup-shaped seats or depressions arranged annularly around the trough. I prefer to use two rows of seats, and in case of a plurality of rows I prefer to stagger the individual seats adj acently located in the several rows, so as to center the same on different radial lines, the adjacent seats being equally distant apart. I prefer to distinguish the individual seats by coloring the adjacent portion of the disk and that occupied bythe seat in question in different colors, thus indicating the value of the time at bat denoted by the individual seat. I iind the average Hbatting average as given by the records of the National League for the season of 1905 to be two hundred and fifty-ive per cent., and the proportionate probability of the result of a single time at bat works out as follows: Outs, .660; sacriiice hit, .03; base on`balls,7 .06; one-base hit, or single, .200; two-base hit, or double, .030; three-base hit, or tri le, .015; home run, .005, making a totallof one, representing the unit of a time at bat. I have taken a home run as a unit, and reducing the proportions accordingly I iind that for one home run made there are made on an average three triples, six doubles, thirty-six singles, twelve base on balls, six sacrifice hits, and one hundred and twentyeight outs, making a total of one hundred and ninety-two results possible for a time at bat. I therefore prefer to form one hundred and ninety-two seats on the rotatable disk and assign appropriate colors to eachclass of seats. Thus mark one seat white to denote a home run, three seats lavender to denote triples, six seatsyellow to denote doubles, thirty-six seats red to denote singles, twelve seats green to denote bases on balls, six seats blue to denote sacrifice hits, and one hundred and twenty-eight seats black to denote outs. Thus every time the ball is tossed onto the spinning disk it represents a time at bat, and the seat into which the ball finally rolls and rests indicates whether the batter is out, has gotten a base on balls, or has made a sacrifice hit, a single, double, triple, or home run. The top of the box or a separate game-board, as desired, is preferably marked to represent a base-ball-playing field or diamond, with home plate, first base, second base,. Hthird base, and foul-lines and base-lines in the usual manner. The runners on the bases may be indicated by counters, chips, or other suitable marking devices which may be rearranged at intervals to represent the advancement of the runners by the batters. To keep track of the put-outs for a half-inning, I provide some recording device, such as three holes and a marking-peg to be placed in the first, second, or third holes, according as there are one, two, or three out. A fourth hole may be provided in which to store the peg when none are out.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a desirable form of apparatus on which my game may be played, Figure l is a plan view of the apparatus, showing the preferred box or casing containing the rotatable disk; and Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the same.

The following is a detailed description of the drawings:

l is a box or case of any desired contour or of any desired material; but I prefer a rectangular wooden box ofthe general design shown, having a cover 2, hinged at one edge, as at 3, and securable in place, as by hook 4. A circular opening is cut in said cover to expose the face of the rotatable disk, and the edge of said opening is downwardly beveled, as at 2a, to aid in retaining the ball on the surface of the disk.

5 is the rotatable disk, pivotally mounted within box l and having its upper face exposed by means of the said circular opening in the box-cover. The ldisk may be made of any desired material; but I find thin tinplate or similar metal to be desirable.

6 is a pivot-socket secured to the inner side of the box-bottom and adapted to receive the pivot member 7, secured to disk 5 TOO IIO

by means of thumb-nut 8. Ball-bearings 9 9 may be interposed between the members ofthe pivot; but I prefer to omit the same ast tending Yto overprolong the spinning of the disk, and thus delay the game. An annular depression 10, concentric with said disk. is stamped or otherwise' formed in the upper face thereof and preferably provided with a slightly-flattened bottom, as shown.

11 11 represent one or more rows of cupshaped seats located in annular form in the flattened bottom of depression 10.

As above explained, I prefer to provide one hundred and ninety-two seats, and to avoid unduly increasing the diameter of the disk I prefer to locate. the seats in at least two rows, as shown in the drawings, the individuals of adjacent rows being staggered, as shown, and adjacent seats being equally apart. These seats are preferably formed by stamping the. same into the material of the disk and are preferably near enough together to avoid intervening flat surfaces of sufficient extent to form a resting-place for the ball. A portion of the surface of the disk adjacent to and including each seat 11 is marked in tablet form by a suitable color to denote the value of the seat, as above explained. Thus one seat a. is colored white, three seats b b are colored lavender, six seats c c yellow, thirty-six seats d d red, twelve seats e e green, six seats f f blue and one hundred and twenty-eight seats g g black.

As above explained, I have arbitrarily chosen white to indicate a home run, laven-I der a triple, yellow a double, red a single, green a base on balls, blue 'a sacrifice hit, and black an out. A spinning ball or globe is used of suitable diameter to rest in the seats 11 11. The corners of the cover 2 are marked, respectively, home plate, first base, second base, and third base, and

lines are drawn to indicate foul-lines and base-lines to complete the diamond. I prefer to provide three holes in a row in cover 2, which may bemarked, respectively, Outs I, II, III, and also a peg 12 to insert in the proper hole to mark the number of outs in the alf-inning while the same is being played. A fourth hole 13 may be provided to store the peg when none are out.

The following is an illustration of the manner in which the game may be played: A and B are two players, each representing one of the competing clubs. A goes to the bat first and spins the disk, spinning it to the right, if he desires, to denote a right-hand batter and to the left to denote a left-hand batter. B may pitch by tossing the ball onto the spinning disk. If desired, a ball tossed by the right hand may indicate a right-hand pitcher and by the left hand a left-hand pitcher. When the spinning disk and ball come to rest, the seat in which the ball rests is noted, which if black indicates i that As first batter is out.

Vto bat.

The peg 12 is now placed in out-hole I. Again the disk is spun, and the seat in which the ball rests is noted. If it be a red seat, it indicates that As second batter has made a single, and a counter or chip is placed on first base to denote the late batter, who is now a ruimer No. 1. Again A spins and B pitches, when the ball may rest in a green seat, indicating that As third batter has gotten a base on balls, thus advancing runner No. 1 (indicated by a counter) to second base and placing a second counter to represent the late batter, now running No. 2, on first base. The next spin of the disk and ball may result in the ball resting in a blue seat, indicating that As fourth batter has made a sacrifice hit, advancing the chips or counters representing the runners Nos. 1 and 2 to third and second base, spectively, and the peg 12 is moved to outhole II to indicate that two are out. The next spin of the ball may cause it to rest in a yellow seat, indicating that As next batter had scored a two-base hit, thus scoring two runs by sending the runners on second and third bases over the home plate and leaving a counter on second base to denote the late batsman. The next spin may send the ball into a black seat, indicating the third out, and A s side goes to the field and B comes B now spins the disk and A tosses the ball. The first spin may send the ball into the white seat, indicating that Bs first batter has scored a home run and givingB one run to his credit. The next three spins may send the ball into black seats, thus indicating that Bs next three batters are out, making the side out, so that the complete first inning shows a score of two to one in As favor. The full nine innings may be played in a similar manner, and owing to the game being arranged onthe basis of the official averages the chances of scoring are practically the same as in a real game of outdoor baseball.

I have not provided seats to indicate stolen bases, errors, and several other chance incidents, but have totaled all forms of putouts, such as strike-outs and outs at first base, under the one heading "outs. The game could readily be extended to include all the incidents not set out above; but I find. that the game would not be as snappy and interesting as in the present arrangement. The colors used are arbitrarily selected and may be varied. at will. Any number of players may take part at one time, denoting, if desired, a plurality of competing clubs, and ties may be played off by extra innings, as in a game of outdoor base-ball.

vI have shown a convenient means of indicating the times at bat and the advancement of the runners by the results thereof; but many other devices 'might be substituted therefor, all of which would attain the same general results.

lOO

IIO

I therefore do not Wish to limit myself to the rules and apparatus described for the purpose of illustration, but claim, broadly- 1. In base-ball-game boards, a pivoted,

rotatable disk, a concentric, annular depres.

in number substantially equal to' their re' spective probability in proportion to a single home run, and chance means for indicating one of said panels, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3l In base-ball-game boards, a disk provided With a concentric annular depression, colored panels occupying said depression, a ball-seat in each of said panels, a single panel being colored to re resent a home run and the remaining resu ts of a time at bat being represented by panels of dierent colors, respectively, in number substantially equal to their res ective probability in proportion to a single home run, means for rotating said disk and a spinning ball adapted to be thrown upon said disk and settle in one of said seats, substantially as and for the purpose Vset forth.

4. In base-ball-game boards, a disk provided With a concentric annular depression, colored panels occupying said depression, a ball-seat in each of said panels, asingle panel being colored to represent a home run and the remaining results of a time at bat being represented by panels of dierent colors, respectively, in number substantially equal to their respective probability in proportion to a single home run, means for rotating said disk, a ball adapted to be thrown upon sai disk and settle in one of said seats, a flat-topped boX containing said disk having an aperture in the top thereof to expose the upper face of said disk, a base-ball diamond marked olf on said flat top of said box and counters to be moved on said diamond in accordance with the result of times at bat to represent the base-runners, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, this 21st day of July, 1906.

WILLIAM T. DE WALT.

Witnesses:

J H. HARRISON, EDWARD A. LAWRENCE. 

